By Nupur Apte and Addison Serrin
Many of us know Trader Joes as the go-to grocery store. They have everything anyone could ever want, from knockoff Oreos to Scandinavian swimmers that rival Swedish fish.Trader Joe’s commonly produces products that are comparable to various name brand products we know and love. But the question is… which products are really the best? In this article, we compare Trader Joe’s items to the original brand, so you don’t have to.
Traders Joes O’s Vs Oreos
Cost:
Oreos: $6.00
Joe-Joes: $4.50
These two sweet treats are close to identical in flavor, appearance, and texture, but there are some key things that set them apart. The original Oreo brand has a more enhanced chocolate flavor, and the Trader Joes cookie has a very faint chocolate taste. Along with that, the Oreos have a more crunchy, cookie-like texture, versus the Trader Joes cookies that have a softer, thicker texture. The original brand Oreos feel like the perfect cookie to dip into a fresh glass of milk.
Winner: Original Brand Oreos
Trader Joe’s Sea Salted Saddle Potato Chips Vs. Pringles
Cost:
Pringles: $1.50
Sea Salted Saddle Potato Crisps: $1.99
Surprisingly, this was a tie. Both chips had a light salty taste and clean potato flavor along with a light and airy crunch. Neither of the chips were heavily greasy or salty, which made them equally as satisfying in terms of taste. In addition, both chips are in a very similar price range, making them both affordable.
Winner: Draw!
Trader Joe’s White Cheddar Corn Puffs Vs. Pirate’s Booty
Cost:
Trader Joes White Cheddar Corn Puffs: $2.69
Pirate’s Booty: $7.50
The Trader Joes Cheddar Corn Puffs truly gives the iconic Pirate’s Booty a run for its money. TJ’s version being more irregularly shaped and having a softer or chewier texture, while Pirate’s Booty is perfectly shaped and crispier. Overall the cheesyness of the Pirate’s Booty is more intense than TJ’s version. They are fairly identical in taste but we would recommend splurging on the Pirate’s Booty to get the full cheesy, crispy experience.
Winner: Original Pirates Booty
Trader Joe’s Baked Cheese Crunchies vs. Cheetos
Cost:
Original Cheetos: $6.50
Trader Joes Baked Cheese Crunchies: $2.49
One clear difference between the TJ Crunchies and The Cheetos is the color. The TJ version has a subtle light orange color, while the Cheetos have a busy, bright orange color. TJ’s Baked Cheese Crunchies offer a less intense, more natural cheddar and Parmesan flavor and a similar texture to Cheetos. The crunchiness of the both brands is on point. Cheetos have a distinctively strong, addictive flavor, a more vibrant orange shade, and use flavor enhancers and artificial colors like Yellow #6. While Cheetos are fried, Trader Joe’s Crunchies are baked, making them a slightly healthier option.
Winner: Trader Joes Baked Cheese Crunchies
Swedish Fish Vs. Trader Joe’s Scandinavian Swimmers
Cost:
Original Swedish Fish: $7.49
Trader Joes Scandinavian Swimmers: $3.79
Trader Joe’s Scandinavian Swimmers are a dye free, vegan substitution for Swedish Fish. Scandinavian Swimmers feature various ocean themed shapes and flavors, while Swedish Fish are the classic, red, fish shaped candy. Swedish Fish contain more artificial ingredients and fake dyes than Scandinavian Swimmers, which causes them to be much sweeter. The two candies have a very similar soft texture and candied flavor. In addition, The Scandinavian Swimmers are much more affordable than the Swedish Fish.
Winner: Scandinavian Swimmers
Trader Joes Milk Chocolate Candies Vs M&Ms
Cost:
Trader Joe’s milk chocolate candies: $3.29
M&Ms: $2.99
TJ’s version has a strong dairy milk flavor with light hints of malt and honey, offering a less sweet taste than M&M’s. We thought that the TJ’s candies had a slightly odd aftertaste. The TJ’’s candies feature more pastel colors, while M&Ms feature colors like red, yellow, green, blue and brown. Overall if we had to choose which one to have for movie night, we would choose the classic M&Ms